Why should I
use broadband?Its fast  bigger bandwidthIts always on  no dial-up & no extra
dial-up costsIts reliable  stable with a lack of dropouts
unlike dial-upIts immediate no dial-up delaysIts the way of the future

What does it cost?
Broadband solutions vary from simple low bandwidth inexpensive
plans, to elaborate high bandwidth expensive plans. The solution
that is right for you will take into consideration your budget,
bandwidth and traffic needs.

What is bandwidth?
Bandwidth is the amount of data sent per second.
Bandwidth can be compared to water pipe systems. Compare the
amount of water that will flow through a common garden hose
to the amount that will flow through a large mains water pipe.
The mains pipe has a huge circumference compared to the garden
hose so much more water flows through it per second.

Similarly, a communications line that carries 6 MB will transfer
more data than a 64k connection (heaps more!).

What is traffic?
All downloaded data is referred to as traffic.
Different broadband plans have different rates for traffic
usage. A plan with a minimal account fee where all downloads
are additional will suit users with little or no downloads.
A plan with a large account fee and many downloads included
in this price, where all further downloads are additional,
will suit users with many downloads. And there are many options
in between.

The idea is you pay a basic usage fee, and then you only pay
extra when the traffic exceeds the amount agreed to in your
plan.

If you have an existing internet service you can find out
how much traffic you use by looking up your account details
through your service provider.

What can go wrong with broadband?
Unlike dial-up, broadband is a permanent connection which
always has the same IP address. Having
a permanent IP address is inviting to hackers as it gives
them a target that does not move. This leaves you more vulnerable
to attack, so extra security will need to be enforced on your
computer. You need a Firewall.

What is a firewall?
A firewall keeps intruders away from your system.
In the same way that a car firewall protects you in an accident,
a software firewall protects you from intruders entering your
computer. Depending on how keen the hacker is and how well
the firewall is configured, and as long as users dont
give out passwords or otherwise compromise security, then
your system should be safe  be vigilant & beware
of hackers!

How do I get Broadband?
First you will need a broadband modem, called a router,
as dial-up modems will not work. Then you will need to decide
which package to buy